Wednesday, February 19, 2014

I started Adhesif Clothing back in 2003 and over the last 10 years it's been a roller coaster ride of constant hard work, excitement, inspiration, laughter and an overall a totally crazy ride.

I started off, like anyone else, at the beginning...

which meant for me, working out of my mom's house and more specifically out of her bedroom that she donated as the sewing room to get the ball rolling. Gotta love mom's right??

After a lot of learning and years of pounding the pavement (talking to anyone who would give me the time of day) and commuting to and from Vancouver (where I lived) to Surrey (ma's house)

I eventually generated enough dough to get my own 400 square foot studio, working away on making countless pieces and then wholesaling as well as selling at local and out of town art & fashion markets

Eventually the opportunity to open my very own combined shop/studio for Adhesif Clothing happened back in May of 2010 and I went for it. The shop is located at the corner of Main & 6th Ave in Vancouver, BC.

I knew from the beginning that the shop's concept would have to tie in with Adhesif Clothing's mission.

To create sustainable one-of-a-kind quality pieces. It only made sense to have the shop be about supporting local thus carrying the work of dozens of other local artists/designers.

Aside from the vintage shoes we stock bi-weekly, everything in the shop is handmade and much of what is in the shop is made from reclaimed materials making each piece a treasure with a heartbeat & a story to tell...

It's funny how a lot people think that when you open a store you got it made in the shade...but I got to tell you, being an independent artist is one thing and being a shop owner is a whole other ballgame...

I went from having a totally random work schedule in my old work studio to now having to follow a strict store front schedule 6 days a week as well as having to balance producing all still being the sole creator of my handmade pieces in the back studio.

Major management & administrative paperwork ensued while also selling juggling customers coming in and out of the shop throughout the week.

This and the fact that I still participate in markets throughout the year...

Needless to say all of these challenges have made me feel like I'm totally capable of turning life's lemons into some serious lemonade!

I have to tell you though...that the thing I'm most proud of over the years has been staying true to my original concept with Adhesif Clothing. All of our garments & accessories are still made with up to 95% vintage & recycled textiles. But you know what? It's really not easy being green...and no one knows that better then Kermit...

Remaining true to yourself as an artist can sometimes be the biggest challenge of all!

(The first time I saw this video as a kid, I thought "awww poor guy, even muppets get the blues" Little did I realize how a wee fuzzy singing frog could resonate with me later on in my future...)

It's all about a green green grassroots approach, here at Adhesif, as we practice a zero waste philosophy. All of our materials are sourced locally and produced locally leaving little to no carbon footprint in our daily routine.

Up-cycling is the way of the future. Reducing and reusing what is already available and adding value to what would otherwise be added to landfill is a total WIN-WIN situation.

When I first started up-cycling and reworking clothing for Adhesif Clothing I had a lot of people find it odd to want to wear something made from old fabrics but since then I've seen dozens of other designers and artists follow suit to the point that it has become a movement and it's really inspiring to see!

It feels good to know that Adhesif Clothing is a pioneer in the Eco-Fashion movement where now it's sexy to be green!

With that said this type of process is not your run of the mill. It takes countless hours of sourcing, deconstructing-reconstructing materials in order to produce one handmade, up-cycled garment.

Adhesif Clothing is part of the “slow fashion movement”, a philosophy which values quality over quantity and it requires hours of physical production to produce pieces that will be cherished for years. After more than a decade of growing the project independently, the creative force behind Adhesif is looking for some help so that the label can continue to grow.

An Indiegogo campaign has been started for Adhesif Clothing and is aimed at helping the to continue to reduce the burden the fashion industry places on the environment by expanding their zero-waste production studio and growing their upcycled clothing line. For more info visit the campaign's link below...

The incentives the campaign offers are enough to tempt any local fashion-lover: discounts at the online store, a signed and framed print, a pair of Ferreira’s signature fingerless mittens, or a 3-hour in-studio up-cycling workshop for three people! Please help us spread the word about our story and pass our campaign link along to your friends & family.

Visit our design studio + showroom by appointment

About Adhesif Clothing Company

Melissa Ferreira is the creator behind Adhesif Clothing, originally born in Montreal, Quebec.
She creates Up-Cycled statement Fashion for interesting people.
Since learning how to sew by her mother at a young age and experimenting with vintage textiles, Melissa is proud to say she is self-taught.
Working as a vintage clothing buyer for many years inspired Melissa to create garments with older fabrics because of the amazing quality and special characteristics a lot of these materials own.
There is a double advantage in using recycled materials; not only do they reduce waste, but they add distinctive personality to her eye-catching designs.
Adhesif can be found at multiple high end artisan based markets across Canada, online via Etsy and at the by appointment design studio in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada.